Shade construction



Oct. 31, 1944. J. MOHUN SHADE CONSTRUCTIQN Filed Sept. 9, 1945 22 QIIIIII- 3nventor dbzz L/Vaaz (It orneg Patented Oct. 31, 1944 SHADE CONSTRUCTION John L. Mohun, Chicago, Ill., assignor to The National Lock Washer Company, Newark,

7 Application September 9, 1943, Serial No. 501,596

11 Claims.

This invention relates to a window shade structure especially adapted for use in railways, trolley cars and buses. It is the usual practice, at the present time, to make these shades of some material such as Pantasote with, in some cases, a cloth binding at the roller end only, the cloth being of a cotton or linen usually referred to as Holland cloth.

These shades, especially along the bottom rail where they are handled, become dirty and worn in what might be considered a relatively short time, and in order to do a proper job of'cleaning them they have to be removed from the car or bus and taken to a cleaning department or establishment. Since there usually is a considerable length of shade at the upper part, which is attached to the roller, that is never exposed to dust, dirt and handling, the shade in some cases may be turnedend-for end by rebinding at both top and bottom. As the bindin at the bottom coversthe fixture tube that carries the brake rods which engage the sides of the window casing, considerabletime and effort is required to restitch the shade, thereby making the operation quite expensive.

, It is therefore the principal object of my invention to provide a shade construction which is similar or identical at both ends, whereby the shade maybe reversed .end-for-end even without any tools, thereby saving a large amount of ti-me,rlabo.r and expense.

Another object of my invention is to provide a construction in which there is no Pantasote or equivalent material binding at the bottom over the fixture tube to become worn and soiled. I

A further object of my invention is to provide a shade construction of pleasing appearance that can be maintained at low cost.

These various objects will be clearly discerned from the detailed description of the different constructions as set forth in the annexed drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary View of my improved structure in its simplest .form, .a small portion of the roller, shade, and rail being indicated, together with means to prevent transverse shifting ofthe rail on theshade.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 1, but of a modified form of construction.

.Figure .3 shows a plan view of the roller used in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is a section on ure '1. r

.Figure 5 .is a part-sectional and elevational View on the line .5-5 of Figure 1.

the line 44-of Fig- Figure 6 is a view on the line 66 of Figure 2.

Figure 7' is a fragmentary perspective view showing a modified form of rail.

Figure 8 is a'view similar to Figure '7, but further modified form of rail.

In the different views, wherein like numbers refer to corresponding parts, I illustrates one form of rollern'o'w in use, made; of thin, suitable metal and formed with a longitudinal cavity having a narrow slit 2 therein to receive a loop 3 formed by the stitching 4 in the cloth binding material 5, which is further stitched at 6 and 7 for a purpose to be presentlydescribed. 1 After the loop 3 has been inserted through the slit 2, a rod or pin 8 is passed through the loop, thereby anchoring the cloth binder of the shade C securely to the roller I. The lower part of the shade C has a binding material 5 formed and stitched in the same manner as the top roller portion as indicated by the numerals. Positioned over the bottom cloth binder 5, is a rail 9 which extends substantially the width of the shade C. As shown moreparticularly in Figure 4, the rail is made in one piece from any suitable material such as sheet steel, brass or aluminum,

and finished in any desired color to match the shade material and the interior of the car or vehicle in which the shade is to be used;

. In this type of rail, the lower portion is formed to provide a hole [0 for the operating rods and springs which, for clarity are not shown as they form no part of the present invention; thus the tube ordinarily used to hold said rods and springs is dispensed with. Openings II are provided in the walls of the material forming the hole It for the finger or handle pinch-plates for operating the said rods. The two upwardly projecting portions of the tall are permanently fastened together by a plurality of rivets l2, and positioned just above the rivets is a formation I3 simulating a hole to receive the loop 3 at the lower end of the shade C.

After the cloth binder 5 has been inserted within the rail 9 as indicated in Figure 4, and the loop is inserted into the formation I 3, a pin or rod [4, similar to 8, is inserted through the loop, thereby fastening the rail 9 to the shade C. Preferably the upper portions of the rail 9 are curled over at l5 to prevent cutting the shade material by the rocking of the rail and also to give a gliding surface for entrance of the cloth type of construction will be very suitable for nar- 7 into engagement with the binder cloth as indicated in Figure 5. The free end of the spring 16 is bent over at 20 to form a finger grip whereby the spring [6 may be lifited up a small amount to free the grip between it and the cloth binder. The rivet I1 is preferably made and assembled so that the spring [6 may be arcuately moved after it has been freed from looking engagement, so that the rail may be removed from the shade G. Since, as has been pointed out, both ends of the shade have a cloth binder similarly formed and that part of. the shade adjacent the roller is rarely ever fully unrolled, thus leaving this end of the shade in good condition, the shade C may be reversed end-for-end by removing the rail as well as the pin or rod 8 or M, which will allow the shade to be removed from the rail and the roller, and then reassembled in reverse direction as described.

In the form of shadeconstruction shown in Figures 2 and 6, the cloth binder has a stitching 4 as in Figure 1, and preferably two stitchings 2| and 22 through the end of the shade C, with additional stitching 23 spaced a distance from the stitching4 that forms the roller loop 3. The space between the stitchings 4 and 23 is such as to form a passage for a tubular member 24 which is adapted to receive the rods and springs for the shade. The rail member 25 in this case is made of any ished in any desired manner, in one piece formed to the required shape to fit over the cloth binder and the tube 24. In this case the lower loop 3 is not utilized at the rail end, but the rail is provided with a depending portion or apron 26 which may serve to assist in operating the shade. The rail 25 has similar openings II as shown in Figure 1 for the finger pieces and corresponding openings in the tube 24 to accommodate these members. Holes 31 are also provided in the cloth binder at both ends to conform with the springs II, as well as a hole 38 in the binder for the screw 21. A different arrangement for preventing J transverse motion of the rail 25is shown in the form of screw 2'! which goes through one side of the rail 25 and into the tube 24, or it may extend through the tube 24 into a block 28 positioned between the openings H.

In Figure 7 I have shown a rail member of two pieces 29 and 30 which may be made of extruded metal such as aluminum or alloys thereof, or other metals. These pieces may be fastened together in any suitable manner as by rivets 3|, and when positionedas shown in Figure 7, a hole In is provided for the shade rod and springs, and another hole or formation l3 for the loop 3, and a slot 32 for the cloth binder. While a hole 33 is indicated, the formation around the hole is such as to provide a finger grip; while the hole 33 lightens the structure and saves metal. Although this particular rail, as indicated, is heavier than the rails previously described, it is suitable for use in connection with extra-wide shades. Instead of being made of metal, the parts 29 and 30 may be made suitable material such as sheet steel finof any suitable material such as plastics which will lighten the structure considerably.

This form is shown in Figure 8 and the hole 33 in this case may form a seat for a soft rubber strip which acts as a guard or bumper to prevent the shade from marring the window sill when the shade is pulled all the way down. As an alternative for a rubber strip, I may use, to good advantage, a duplex electrical cable, two conductors of which are shown at 34 and 35, the conductor portion 34 being gripped by the material around the hole 33, while the conductor portion 35 with its relatively soft insulating border, such as rubber, acts as a buffer. The two parts of the rail are held together in any satisfactory manner as by a plurality of rivets 3| as in Figure '7;' To hold the rail from transverse movement on the shade, an arrangement such as shown in Figures 1 and 5 may be utilized, or a screw 36, which is shown in dotted lines, this being put through the member 29 against the cloth binder.

From. what has been said, it will be readily appreciated that certain of the details in the construction of the rail may be varied without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the appended claims; for example, one such variation is the application of my invention to a flap type shade wherein the ends of the shade are formed as shown in Figure 2, with the exception that the rectangular openings 3'! are omitted and the rod which passes through the space between the stitchings 4 and 23 extends a short distance on both sides of the shade in order to engage stationary hooks that are fastened to the side of the window casing for holding the shade in any desired adjusted position.

What I claim is:

1. A shade structure having a roller at the top and a rail at the bottom, the shade having fabric ends with substantially the same identical formations for attachment either to the roller or the rail and quickly disengageable spring means carried by the rail so as to engage the fabric to prevent the rail from slipping transversely in the shade structure.

2. A shade structure, including a roller and a rail, having its two ends formed from a strong fabric, with a relatively small loop at the extremity of these ends, the roller and the rail both having formations to receive a loop at either end of the shade, and means passing through one of said loops and rail formation for anchoring the shade to the roller and rail.

3. A shade structure having a roller at the top and a rail at the bottom, the shade having fabric ends with substantially the same identical formations for attachment either to the roller or the rail, the rail being of a width sufficient to cover the fabric end to which it is connected.

4. A shade structure having a roller at the top and a rail at the bottom, the shade having fabric ends with substantially the same identical formations for attachment either to the roller or the rail, the rail being made of one piece with a slot of a depth to receive and cover the fabric end to which it is connected, and having a formation at the bottom of the slot to receive a pin for locking the fabric in place, the rail having a passageway and openings therein for the reception of operating rods and springs and pinchplates.

5. A shade structure having a roller at the top and a rail at the bottom, the shade having fabric ends with substantially the same identical formations for attachment either to the roller or the rail, the rail being made in two pieces with depressions thereinwhich, when the pieces are brought together in cooperative relationship, form a slot of a depth to receive the fabric end to which it is connected, a hole for a pin to anchor the fabric in place and another hole for the reception of operating rods and springs, and openings into the last-mentioned hole for finger-plates associated with said rods.

6. A shade structure having a roller at the top and a rail at the bottom, the shade having fabric portion having a slot therein with a bumper strip mounted therein.

7. A shade structure having a roller at the top and a rail at the bottom, the shade having fabric ends with substantially the same identical formations for attachment either to the roller or the rail, the rail being made in two pieces with depressions therein which, when the pieces are brought together in cooperative relationship, form a slot of a depth to receive the fabric end to which it is connected, a hole for a pin to anchor the fabric in place and another hole for the reception of operating rods and springs, and openings into the last-mentioned hole for fingerplates associated with said rods, and an apron portion having a slot therein with a bumper strip mounted therein, said bumper strip comprising a duplex electrical cable with one of the conductors and its insulation being positioned in said slot, while the other insulated conductor extends beyond the edge of the apron.

8. A shade structure having a roller at the top and a rail at the bottom, the shade having fabric ends with substantially the same identical formations for attachment either to the roller or the rail, another set of formations at each end comprising a loop section between two rows of stitching large enough to receive a tube within which curtain rods and springs are to be located, the rail having a formation for embracing the material and tube, with means for anchoring the rail in position, the rail having openings therein for finger-plates, while the loop material at both ends has openings to cooperate with the openings in the rail.

9. A structure as set forth in claim 8, wherein the rail has an apron into which the fabric formation at the extremity of the fabric end extends.

10. A shade structure having a roller at the top and a rail at the bottom, the shade having fabric ends with substantially the sameidentlcal formations for attachment either to the roller or the rail, and means carried by the rail for preventing side-slip of the rail on the shades.

11. A shade structure having a roller at the top and a rail at the bottom, the shade having fabric ends with substantially the same identical formations for attachment either to the roller or the rail, and resiliently mounted meanson the rail carrying a part going through a portion of the rail into gripping engagement with the shade end for preventing transverse movement of the rail on the shade, saidmeans being movable to effect its engagement and disengagement from the shade.

JOHN L. MOHUN. 

